Over 200 F&B outlets to spice up Expo 2020

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

A good meal can unite people of all nationalities, cultures, ages and backgrounds. And Expo 2020 Dubai is set to bring millions of visitors together to discover global cuisines, innovative culinary experiences, future-shaping food tech, old classics, new favourites, street bites and gourmet delights across more than 200 food and beverage (F&B) outlets.

Expo 2020 will be a foodie’s paradise, with options to suit every palate and budget. There will be 50-plus cuisines to try across an area equal in size to seven football pitches, with almost 300,000 meals served per day – enough to feed every person in Barbados. Visitors can also book a culinary tour for a delicious, deep-dive experience spanning cultures and continents.

World-famous chefs will further stir up the excitement, while visitors will also gain a glimpse of the culinary experiences of tomorrow, with Expo looking to incorporate robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality into its F&B offering.

Darren Tse, Director – F&B, Programming at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “As a global celebration welcoming 190 participating nations, it’s only fitting that Expo 2020 Dubai is a world-class dining destination featuring a wealth of flavours and innovative concepts from every corner of the planet. There will be something to suit everyone’s taste and budget, whether you are a foodie seeking a new gastronomic experience, an innovator keen to see how technology will change how you order food, or simply looking to feed your family without breaking the bank.”

Emirati hospitality will be on show, as will Dubai’s diverse and innovative F&B scene. Much-loved local restaurants and talented up-and-comers will be introduced to an international audience, while UAE-inspired cuisine and traditional dishes from the wider Arab world will be enjoyed in a food hall setting.

Visitors can also discover the creative merging of flavours and cuisines, such as Arabic tacos or Levantine fusion, epitomising the nation’s multicultural society. UAE-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will comprise 20 per cent of F&B outlets, bringing to life Expo 2020’s commitment to support SMEs.

A variety of healthy and affordable food, and options that meet various dietary requirements, will also form part of Expo 2020’s world-class visitor experience, which is underpinned by quality, inclusivity and diversity. Crucially, Expo will ensure fair pricing structures for F&B, rather than charging premium event prices.

In line with Expo 2020’s subtheme of Sustainability, the F&B programme will showcase the latest in sustainable dining trends and practices. Every contracted F&B outlet at Expo 2020 has signed up to the ‘Food Ethos’, a set of values designed to push forward sustainability and wellness across the broader industry. These values include environmentally-conscious and organic F&B, the use of ethically- and locally-sourced products, and actions designed to minimise energy use and food and packaging waste.

Darren Tse said: “We want to inspire visitors to try new flavours at Expo 2020, whether it’s a cuisine they know nothing about or a clever twist on a popular dish. The F&B programme supports Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. Food connects people with culture, and what better way to enjoy the company of others than by sharing delicious cuisine and fresh experiences together?”

Expo 2020 is set to be an unmissable global celebration that will bring together millions of visitors to enjoy a world of discovery, innovation and entertainment. A jam-packed calendar of events that will change each of the 173 days of Expo will ensure there is something for everyone – and visitors will want to come more than once.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021. It is expected to record 25 million visits, with 70 per cent of visitors to come from outside the UAE – the highest proportion of international visitors in the 168-year history of World Expos.

Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. For six months from 20 October, 2020, Expo will bring together 190 countries and millions of people to celebrate human ingenuity: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

During the six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021, we expect to welcome 25 million visits

About 70 per cent of all visitors are anticipated to come from outside the UAE – the largest proportion of international visitors in Expo history.

We aim to create and deliver an inclusive and global Expo with more than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions

Expo 2020 also has an ambitious volunteer programme, which aims to include more than 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of ages, nationalities, cultures and backgrounds